A Death in the Family was published by Orenda Books on 15 July 2016 and is available here

Faced with the violent death of his own father, even Assistant Superintendent David ‘Kubu’ Bengu, Botswana’s keenest mind, is baffled. Who would kill such a frail old man? Set amidst the dark beauty of modern Botswana, A Death in the Family is a thrilling insight into a world of riots, corruption and greed, as a complex series of murders present the opera-loving, wine connoisseur detective with his most challenging case yet.

Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip known collectively as Michael Stanley bring us a brand new gripping story featuring Detective Kubu. A Death in the Family follows on from Deadly Harvest, that I read not so long ago.

This is a fabulous series, with just the right touch of noir. The series feels familiar now, with Kubu, his colleagues and family; plus the gorgeous setting of Botswana.I loved Kubu’s visit to America and see a whole different, contrasting colder culture.

This time, Kubu is dealing with a personal trauma, the murder of his father. Of course, Kubu cannot officially get involved with the murder investigation and is left on the sidelines waiting for answers. Who would want to kill an elderly sick man? There is also tension building as a Chinese company seeks the rights to mine a particular area, meaning that some of the local population will be forced to relocate. When a connected government official is found in an apparent suicide, Kubu is brought in to find answers.

I adore this series. It just gets better, with every book. I like feeding my Kubu crush. Kubu is such a decent, stable family man, with a good work ethic. This contrasts well with the evil he encounters, as a police detective. We see in A Death in the Family greed, corruption and murder in abundance, plus a fine detective going through the worst possible tragedy. I was rather shocked that Kubu’s father was a murder victim and to see the aftermath.

This is a welcome addition to the Detective Kubu series. The Michael Stanley partnership is superb and has a very original fresh feeling to it. I am hoping for another dose of Kubu very soon. I miss him already!